There is currently legislation advancing in Congress to establish the US Space Corps as a separate service under the Department of the Air Force by Summer 2019. While the effort is not currently supported by the Air Force, it seems to have some influential supporters in Congress, so it could end up on the president's desk this year.

Would imagine that they'd have to have uniforms that distinguish themselves somewhat from the USAF.

Here's what the proposed legislation says the U.S. Space Corps's job would be:

Except as otherwise specifically prescribed by law, the Space Corps shall be organized in such manner, and the members of the Space Corps shall perform, such duties and have such titles, as the Secretary [of the Air Force] may prescribe. Such duties shall include—(1) protecting the interests of the United States in space;(2) deterring aggression in, from, and through space;(3) providing combat-ready space forces that enable the commanders of the combatant command to fight and win wars;(4) organizing, training, and equipping space forces; and(5) conducting space operations of the Space Corps under the command of the Commander of the United States Space Command.

For those of you that remember that the U.S. Space Command was disestablished 15 years ago, the proposed legislation also calls for the command to be stood up again, tho' still subordinate to the Strategic Command.

As to whether the United States needs another Armed Service I'll leave to Americans to decide; but there's a case to be made that even the Air Force's existence is a mistake; see Robert Farley's "Grounded: The Case for Abolishing the United States Air Force". (The book is interesting; its logic applies to other countries' air forces.)

Anyway, to the specific question - just like U.S. Air Force uniforms, rank badges, etc. started as Army uniforms etc. but in blue, the Space Corps should be Air Force uniforms but in black with white trim? Same ranks as the Air Force. Tho' what would the E-1 to E-4 (OR1-OR4) ranks be called? In the Air Force they're Airman Basic through Senior Airman. In the Space Corps would they be Spaceman? I don't think so.

jrichardn2 wrote:Tho' what would the E-1 to E-4 (OR1-OR4) ranks be called? In the Air Force they're Airman Basic through Senior Airman. In the Space Corps would they be Spaceman? I don't think so.

Astronier ? Corpsman ?

My first thought was Space Corpsman, mainly to differentiate from the USN rating. I was also thinking that the red and yellow experimental airmen chevrons would be a good alternative to the blue and white ones.

1. Would the Space Corps have working uniforms in faux camouflage, like the U.S. Navy? "Blackberries"? ;-)

2. The Cyber Service is a little more intriguing than the Space Corps, because it isn't clear to me which of the existing services it would be spawned from.

a. If it was a brand-new service would it have, e.g., purple uniforms? ;-)

b. I note that the PHS Commissioned Corps doesn't clearly derive from any of the Armed Services, but wears Navy uniforms; so perhaps the Cyber Service would look at a gance like the PHS, i.e., Navy but with a different staff corps device. (I note that current Commander Cyber Command is a U.S.N. admiral.)

3. Those of us who remain au courant with Doctor Who will know that the genesis of the Cybermen is the McGuffin of the current serial.

1. Would the Space Corps have working uniforms in faux camouflage, like the U.S. Navy? "Blackberries"? ;-)

I would note that the blue camouflage has been axed, and is being phased out.

2. The Cyber Service is a little more intriguing than the Space Corps, because it isn't clear to me which of the existing services it would be spawned from.

Unclear if all of the services would chip in, or if it would also come out of the Air Force's hide. In any case, tabled until some future date.

b. I note that the PHS Commissioned Corps doesn't clearly derive from any of the Armed Services, but wears Navy uniforms; so perhaps the Cyber Service would look at a gance like the PHS, i.e., Navy but with a different staff corps device. (I note that current Commander Cyber Command is a U.S.N. admiral.)

While it would make sense to me if we get to an interplanetary Space Navy point to use naval conventions and uniforms, I doubt that this would be the case for a service within the DAF, be it space or cyber. But...we'll see.

The Russians have a space force that uses military uniforms and ranks, but I don't believe there is another template for a cyber service.

No, the proposal was for an independent branch of service called the Cyber Service. Each of the armed services have cyber-tasked personnel, including the Army's Cyber Corps. Creation of a branch within an individual service would not require Congressional action.

The original concept was, as I noted at the time, a hypothetical civilian NASA-based "Uniformed Commissioned Corps" so it wouldn't quite fit the concept of a fully-formed military US Space Corps. It's a starting point though, and could easily be adapted to incorporate a colour change and slightly different badges as well as standard US officer ranks.

With that in mind, given the military nature of the proposed USSC currently being discussed, I would expect it is inevitable that the commissioned officer insignia (or at least the collar rank insignia) would be the same as for ALL other US armed services. It is open to debate whether they might also choose to add USN-style sleeve lace for one or more classes of their uniforms (although not necessarily in gold). The NCO insignia would be more open to interpretation, given that each branch of the US armed forces currently has it's own version of the enlisted grade markings.

From the wider point of view, I'm all for fun developments but, being objective, I just can't see that there's any real need for establishing a USSC at this time -- it seems a bit ahead of itself given the current state of any manned space programme (!).

From the wider point of view, I'm all for fun developments but, being objective, I just can't see that there's any real need for establishing a USSC at this time -- it seems a bit ahead of itself given the current state of any manned space programme (!).

It's not necessarily about manned space. All of the armed services have space commands that design and launch satellites, control space assets, analyze space intelligence, do early space warning operations, and many other things that don't involve astronauts. It already involves thousands of personnel and billions of dollars.

Yeah, I get that -- I just don't see that creating a separate service adds anything beyond what they're already doing. It just sounds like someone is empire-building.

A central co-ordinating bureau with assigned staff from the all branches, rather than each branch re-inventing the wheel (or competing, heaven forfend... [!]) would make sense but I just can't see the need for a dedicated fifth service (sixth, if you include the Coastguard).